SOA Inspired

#SOAAfterDark: Within Reach [NSFW]

“Without saying a word he told her how much he missed her, I was just there to bear witness. His fingers did a dance inside me making my tight hole open up more for him. I caressed the back of his head as he continued to speak to my body in a way that only my soul could understand.” Within Reach #SOAAfterDark GO DEEPER.

I’m always for celebrations, until it comes to my birthday. It’s so weird. I’m an event planner by occupation and though I love experiences, when it comes to the experience of my own celebration…I really could not be bothered. There’s too much anxiety associated with trying to get all your friends and family together to celebrate you. Maybe it’s because I believe too much that people don’t care…

Not too long ago, I took a little excursion to visit some friends in DC. Twice, I’ve missed out on the opportunity to visit this place and both times I was upset that I couldn’t go! So when the invitation presented itself again, I made sure to plan and prepare.

Plane tickets can be REALLY expensive, especially when your budget is super tight. Sure you can wait for the “glitch” deals, call a buddy, or save up, but sometimes it really just doesn’t work out that way, things come up and opportunities pass. I’ve been hearing about Megabus for a while and just never took it. I took this opportunity to get my own experience of it AND save a pretty penny.

The registration process was simple, I’m pretty sure I purchased my seats via my phone, but I need them to redesign their website…it’s low-key boring.

How I got there

I purchased my seats, front row center, about a month in advance. I budgeted not more than $50 for these tickets and was surprised with I came out $1 under. If you despise road trips or get motion sickness, this is not the mode of transport for you. It was a long trip, about 12 hours to be exact, but it was exactly what I needed to allow my mind to roam and my thoughts to clear so I can focus on something else for a change.

The rocking of the bus put me to sleep when I needed the rest and served as a type of cyclorama of the purple mountain majesty of the Appalachian mountains and the golden waves of maze through-out Virginia. I enjoyed it. It was like a mini-trip in a trip and was definitely appreciated.

What to do there

Although I really wanted to see all the historic monuments of the National Mall, I liked being able to see the real DC:

The congested streets; 50 million stop lights; crazy intersections; beautiful brown stones; re-development projects; layers and layers of history, legacy, and American heritage; and all the things that makes you appreciate the DMV- Tri-cities.

Pretending to be a local, I learned my way around and how to use the public transportation. Atlanta fails at this concept. All these opportunities for better transportation in the city that hosts “the world’s largest international airport and transportation hub” and we can’t get something as simple as public transportation right…but I digress.

I learned my way around with the Metro, Circulator, and city transit and strolled through Columbia Heights. I admired the beauty of Union Station with all of it’s Grecian architecture and history.

I faced my fear by going to King’s Dominion which is an hour drive outside of downtown DC and located in Virginia.

Nope! #notSoaApproved (with @seane87 @shanikameshae) #SoaInspiredAdventures

A video posted by SOA (@soainspired) on Jul 11, 2015 at 4:11pm PDT

Nope. Still not ready to conquer it yet.

This was more my speed…

Spinning while my hands up 🙌. cc: @seane87 #SoaInspiredAdventures

A video posted by SOA (@soainspired) on Jul 11, 2015 at 12:02pm PDT

  Historical Journey

DC is an OLD CITY. And like old cities, it’s rich in history. You have the one side where a land was developed under by our forefathers and set in ink some 200 years ago. But then you have the flourishing black history there. As I walked around Columbia Heights and basked in the richness of Howard University, I couldn’t help but be proud of the things we’ve done and the people and movements we’ve cultivated. I finally got to meet my Delta college roommates Lady Fortitude and saw the beautiful centennial glass of my assistants sorority. I paid homage to the brothers of Phi Beta Sigma as they had recently added a new plot on campus. My friend that I stayed with took me on a journey through their college experience. And I stared in awe at the clock tower. It was amazing.

Brunch hard!

I’ve noticed that people LOVE to brunch. And when they brunch, they brunch hard! To celebrate my friend’s birthday weekend extravaganza, we went to a really dope restaurant named Local 16, where for about $23 you can get truly unlimited mimosas or bellinis and enjoy delicious strawberry french toast and a plate of bacon. Our table of about 20 had so many drinks we had to start turning down mimosas in favor of water. We bathed in the sun and brunched to our heart’s content. It was delicious, but I wish they had chicken or turkey sausage!

Planting Seeds

My DC trip was really exciting and exactly what I needed at the time. I got to hang out with some of my many friends who live there, explore the city and all of its character and gave room for the opportunity to come back. Some of the best travel experiences I’ve had are the ones that make me feel like I live there. It’s like this trip allowed me to plant some seeds to spread my roots. It’s a beautiful thing to become a local in a new city where you can appreciate its quirks…like I did with finding the beauty in DC.

5 quick tips on How to Travel Like a Local

Exchange hotel for hospitality – do Airbnb or stay with someone you know

Stick to public transportation or Uber your way around

Save the tourist hotspots for another day

Walk to soak in the city

Stay in town or where the culture happens

I had a great time in beautiful DC. There’s sooooooo much more that I want to share, but I’m a writer by nature so…just check out My Story on Google+ below:

My mother is Jamaican and my father is Nigerian. My Step father and baby brother  are of Sierra Leone descent. My other brother and I are truly first American born citizens. While everyone is talking about what it was like to #growupblack, I’m sitting here thinking about what it was like to #growupforeign. More on that later.

Every celebration required plenty of Guinness and or Heineken and the music will literally have you dancing the night away. Where gospel songs had the same beat as the ratchet songs, but it was often hard to differentiate the two while dancing. My mom’s wedding reception lasted over 12 hours. Foreigners know how to party!

Trying to explain to Hubby my deeply rooted love for this music can only be explained through dance.

This past weekend, I got the chance to enjoy a cultural experience that took me back to my youth with house parties filled with the thumping beats of Afro-Caribbean music.

The Passport Experience:

Created by renowned DJ Fully Focus, PXPFest aims to unite music lovers from all cultural backgrounds in a way that hasn’t been done in Atlanta, a city whose boasts the 11th highest foreign-born population in the country at nearly 725,000.What makes PXP Fest unique is that everyone belongs here, and we’re all equal,” says Fully Focus. “We celebrate diversity & cultural pride. Nowhere else can you get all your favorite genres on one stage. It’s been tailored for the open-minded music fan. It’s a place where you can bring your diverse circle of friends & family and there’s something for everyone. It’s the only place where you get to travel the world without a visa & the only limitation is your imagination.”

What’s particularly special is it’s philanthopic initiative:

PXPFest is also offering attendees the opportunity to make a lasting difference through their participation in the event: a portion of each ticket sold will contribute to Akon Lighting Africa, the Konvict Music boss’ solar power initiative working to bring electricity to 25 countries by 2016.

The Experience:

So we get to the gates of Centennial and you can feel the chill international vibes. Music is BLASTING. I would say I feel sorry for the businesses and residences within a 5 mile radius of Centennial, but I don’t. #sorrynotsorry

This experience was RIGHT on time! It’s like the world needs a MASSIVE BLUNT and they got it in Atlanta. Really wish everyone would just chill the f-ck out! You’d have to truly be a hater to not enjoy yourself here.

It was everything I could ask for, and yes I’m biased to a series of things, but it really was a unique music and cultural experience that united music lovers from all cultural backgrounds in a way that hasn’t been done in Atlanta…

So here are my actual reactions:

Wait! Did it go from Mama Africa. Whisp around for some Bollywood. Side track to the Netherlands and Amsterdam. Take you to New York and then bring it home to Atlanta? Bitch Am I On Vacation?

Man searches for wife. Contestant no. 1 (Orange pants) VS Contestant no.2 (jeans) [Part 1] #PXPExperience #PXPfest #whycauseican #africanthings @pxpatlanta

A video posted by SOA (@soainspired) on Jul 19, 2015 at 5:32pm PDT

Eat. Pray. Twerk.

I can’t make my hips stop moving!

And what’s funny is that a vacation is right around the corner. So this festival is kind of like the pre-game. Think about how hardworking the people are. They slave away all day dreaming of an escape to paradise trying to make ends meet just to find glory.

This experience reminded me of a vacation, but at home because BILLS and the Just Over Broke. All my favorite music made me feel like I was at a family function, shout out to my Afro-Caribbeans. It was bliss.

It truly was like being in paradise…if only for a day.

Special shout out to…

The team behind the scenes at Passport Experience ATL for putting together this experience, The Remedy LLC for the invite  and their sponsors Akon Lighting Africa.

Make sure to check out a few photos below and see more on whycauseican.com.

On Friday, July 17, I had the pleasure of enjoying date night with Hubby a little bit differently than we normally do. Normally, if we’re want to just chill and relax we may go for a drive around the city and bring it home to some Netflix and take out. This particular night we decided to enjoy a little cultivated experience with Ford being our maestro.

The Experience:

You “valet” your car and a Ford vehicle picks you up or you can test drive one that takes you to a secret location. We were chaffeured in a 2014 Expedition XL 😍

So you arrive at the location, greeted by two women dressed in red candy girl outfits complete with hats and enter a room with a candy bar and popcorn and really good nostalgic dance music…pretty much any music that’s played at a family reunion or a 25 and up club.

Several bars line the walls. DJ and MC on the stage. Two aerialists dangle from the ceiling. There isn’t a photobooth, instead, you get to create a flipbook, something like a gif in real form, complete with props.

There are passed hor d’oeuvres and the whole vibe is good and lively. Then a Ford chauffeurs you back to your vehicle.

My Reaction:

This event was excellent. Really fun and a different experience.

Kudos to Ford for this event and special shout out to the folks behind the scenes for bringing it together, especially I’na Saulsberry of The Starfire Group.

Favorite Part:

Sealed with a kiss. #fordatl #AdventuresattheWhiteHouse @whycauseican ❤

A video posted by SOA (@soainspired) on Jul 18, 2015 at 1:19am PDT

  Check out photos from the event below and visit www.whycauseican.com for even more!

With Love, Soa (#ThingsLeftUnsaid)

Things left unsaid. I don’t know where to start. I guess I’ll start with the motivation for this note. You died tragically not too long ago and immediately I was inundated with grief. It’s so weird. You and I were super cool. We hung out and talked frequently, then all of a sudden we just kind of stopped talking like our vibe just disconnected. Outside of the obligatory social media…

Inspired Thoughts: What Drives You? #soainspired

What drives you?

What is the mantra by which you live your day-to-day life? What is it that pushes you to do one last thing on your daily to do list? What opportunities are you being open for? What strides are you making to accomplish your goals? What history are you making?

It’s been a minute since I last wrote here…over two months to be exact. And it’s not necessarily that I haven’t had…

Inspired Thoughts: On Love

Love.

It’s so interesting how my thoughts on love have both changed and stayed the same since getting married and focusing on a happy marriage.

I’ve always known I was the marrying kind. I don’t trust people much and I hate the feeling of my time is being wasted especially when it involves something as intimate as being in love.

To me love isn’t just something you say to fill the void or because…

#SoaAfterDark: 10 Ways to Turn Her On

With Fifty Shades of Grey opening in theaters today plus Valentine’s Day on Saturday, it seems like the love and sex talk has gone up substantially…or maybe it’s just me. I’ve always wanted to be a sex therapist. I think it’s important for us to not only know ourselves intimately, but to also know our partner intimately. (#confession) I’ve toiled back and forth with myself about whether or not…

Glam University is a business bootcamp that allows women to learn fundamental skills and strategies to transform their business ideas into established brands that will fuel the economy, propel the community and fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams.

The “GirlPower SleepOver” featured a “Business: A-Z” class taught by Sabrina Peterson, a vision board party powered by Upscale  Magazine and sleeping beauty packets compliments of  Beautiful Textures hosted by the ladies behind Ladies Who Brunch ATL.

Attendees also enjoyed intimate experiential learning at the “sleepover sessions” with business experts including Tionna Smalls (Author, Life Coach, VH1’s  “What Chilli Wants”); Ericka Dotson (CEO of Indique); and Kachelle Kelly (Author & Self Publishing Guru of series “Boss Women Pray”) and more all wrapped in a slumber party experience.

I was fortunate to enjoy many of the welcome activities including opportunities to network and meet some of the players behind the scenes of making this event a fabulous one. Listening to the stories of some of these amazing women, I wanted to ask them two simple questions:

“What is your definition of girl power and if you had a super power, what would it be?”

Here is how they responded:

On girl power:

“I would define girl power as recognizing who you are and knowing that you can have other people around you to foster that and bring it out of you without it being a competitive edge or being scared about it. But just to say that I respect your hustle, I respect what you’re doing. I’ve been there, it’s not easy and I’m here to support you. And to have that power that only girls can have.” – Kachelle Kelly, Author of Boss Women Pray

I define girl power as bringing girls together all over the world; not hating on any girl, motivating every single girl that you see, and smile at them. You never know if they’re having a down day or a sad day so smile at them, let them know they’re beautiful and encourage them. – Mz. Skittlez, Owner of Cupcake Mafia

Girl Power. Building each other up. I wish I had that 8 years ago. It would have been great because you have so many questions and you’re scared. Even though I don’t believe fear exists, but you’re scared. So talking to peers and friends who have been there and done that is so important.- Ericka Dotson, Owner of multi-million dollar hair brand Indique

  On their superpower

If I had a superpower it would be to zap people to live their dreams. – Kachelle Kelly, Author of Boss Women Pray

If I had a superpower, it would be flying. If I could fly to wherever I could go and avoid the traffic in LA and in Atlanta. – Mz. Skittlez, Owner of Cupcake Mafia

If I had a superpower, it would be to take the negative energy out of everyone’s body. – Ericka Dotson, Owner of multi-million dollar hair brand Indique

The entire weekend was filled with plenty of knowledge, intimate conversations, and aha! moments. Attendees had the opportunity to gain expert advice in their pajamas…sounds like the perfect sleepover to me. I can’t wait until the next one and I hope Sabrina is successful in getting the #Girlboss herself to be a featured expert ;)

Check out photos from the event below!

FYI! The next “GirlPower SleepOver” will be held April 25th, 2015 in Atlanta. For more information regarding Glam University’s “GirlPower Sleep Over” visit http://www.GlamUniversity.org or follow the conversation on Twitter/ Instagram @TheGlamUniversity #GirlPowerSleepOver .

Jennifer Lopez leads the cast in The Boy Next Door, a psychological thriller that explores a forbidden attraction that goes much too far. Directed by Rob Cohen (The Fast and the Furious) and written by Barbara Curry, the film also stars Ryan Guzman, John Corbett and Kristin Chenoweth.

The Boy Next Door is produced by Jason Blum of…

Sabrina Peterson and her team at Glam University does it again! You remember when she hosted her last Glam University event in Atlanta…it was awesome and full of some really ambitious and inspiring women. Glam University takes the term “girl power” to a new level with their Girl Power SleepOver at the Aloft Hotel in Atlanta, GA this weekend – January 24th.

The Glam University Girl Power…

Inspired Thoughts: A Letter to my Mother in Law

Hi! Remember me?

I know. It’s been a while. I’ve been really busy watching the social experiment that is life unfold. Over the course of the last quarter of 2014, I’ve done more as a budding business owner and entrepreneur than I have in the last couple of years. I’ve created beautiful and glamorous events, met some amazing people, and really started to feel like the 4+ years of work is beginning…

Inspired Thoughts: Time (via @soainspired)

Went to the bank the other day and saw an elderly gentleman slowly make his way towards the door with his walking stick in tow. I held the door for him and smiled. He looked at me, a bit of a surprise in his eyes and smiled as he gracefully entered the bank while joking with me about the awful weather.

I quickly walked past him once I made it in since I had a meeting to get to. One of the bank…

Sometimes, I take a moment to sit back and reflect…actually, often times I sit back and reflect. Maybe it’s ingrained in my aquarian nature.

I think about what I wanted to be when I was a kid and how close or far I’ve come from that ideal. I remember my mom telling me that I wanted to be a nurse like her…that dream got squashed the first time I ever went to work with her. Me and dead bodies don’t…

Recipe Box: Orange Chicken

Have you ever had those days where you open your fridge and was like, “hmmm, I wonder what would happen if I did ABC and what would it taste like?”

Yeah, I have that moment pretty much every time it’s time to go grocery shopping. A couple things I always try to have in the fridge no matter if it’s grocery day or not are bread, milk, eggs, cheese, orange juice and at least one meat.

This…